This invention relates to a nut cutter tool for removing and cutting away threaded nuts that are frozen or seized onto a mating member such as a bolt, threaded stud, or threaded shaft.
Threaded hardware such as a nut and bolt assembly often freeze up or seize together. The components become difficult or impossible to disassemble using the same wrenches and tools that were used to assemble them. Threaded hardware freezes together because of excessive tightening, corrosion and rusting over time, etc. Threaded nut and bolt assemblies are often painted multiple times over many years. This contributes to the assembly bonding together. In some circumstances threaded hardware has been originally assembled and bonded together with the use of an adhesive, solder, or other bonding material intentionally making disassembly difficult.
Often the exterior shape of a frozen nut becomes deformed while one is trying to remove it. Tools often slip rather than unthread the nut deforming the corners of the nut""s exterior shape. Pliers or other gripping tools are often used in an attempt to grab the frozen nut and remove it. These tools often result in further deforming the exterior shape of the frozen nut.
Not all nuts that become locked onto a threaded member are metal. Plastic nuts also freeze onto threaded members. Being weaker than metal, the exterior shapes of a plastic nut deform easier. Pliers and other gripping tools often simply xe2x80x9cchew upxe2x80x9d the exterior of a frozen plastic nut rather than rotating it free.
Frozen hardware is a serious problem. People struggle and resort to many different means in an effort to release a frozen nut from a bolt. Oil or a special release agent is sometimes used hoping to penetrate the threaded assembly and break the frozen members free. People sometimes apply heat with a welding torch heating the hardware xe2x80x9cred hotxe2x80x9d in an effort to help remove the frozen threaded parts. People resort in trying to chisel, chip away, and split frozen hardware apart. Tremendous aggravation and unnecessary additional repairs and replacement of parts to work around and deal with result from frozen threaded assemblies. The problem of frozen hardware exists in machines, cars, products and almost all industries including the plumbing field.
One common plumbing field problem is in removing (unbolting) an old faucet from a sink. Over the years corrosion and moisture freeze faucet mounting hardware to the threaded shanks of a faucet. Further complicating matters is the fact that the space under and behind a sink that one has available to access faucet mounting hardware is limited. Plumbers and homeowners purchase special plumbing wrenches hoping to assist them. They often unsuccessfully resort to chiseling away hoping to break free frozen mounting hardware. In the end plumbers and homeowners frequently end up replacing an entire sink and in some cases even a countertop along with the faucet because they cannot remove the old faucet from the existing sink.
The present invention relates to a nut cutting tool with a cutting head that allows an operator to easily and safely cut away a nut that is frozen to a threaded stud/bolt. This disclosure illustrates and describes the invention relative to removing frozen faucet mounting hardware. However, the invention applies in numerous industries and other applications besides plumbing and faucets.